Photographic printing and numbering machine



G. DYE. PHOTUGRAPHIC PRINTING AND NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATON FILED JULY 22, IBIS.

. Patpnted May 9,1922. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

.E m a N a. DYE. PH OTOGRAPHIC PRINTING AND NUMBERING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED- JULY 22. I913- Patented May 9, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M 2% 5 .w w 5% .5 $60 UNITED E PATENTOFFICE.

'G-LEN M. DYE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOB TO PHOTOGBAPHIC ATPPLI- ANCES CORPORATION, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A

SOTA.

CORPORATION OF MINNE- PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING AND NUMBERING MACHINE.

Applieation filed July 22,

To all w/zom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GLEN M. DYE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Photographic Printing and Numbering Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

My invention relates to photographic printing machines and has for its object to provide simple and efficient means for automatically numbering, or otherwise marking with identifying characters, the prints in such manner that they can be collected and grouped. It is a well established practice with all concerns doing a large business in making photographic prints for numerous customers. to number differently, the prints for the different customers. This has usually been done by hand.

My invention provides an adjustable numbering or marking device which is applied to or associated with the platen or presser board in such manner that the photographic print. on its back, will. be automatically marked with the order number of the prints that are being taken from the particular neg ative. The numbering device is made adjuda ile so that it may be properly re-set for the different orders.

The present embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several. views.

Referring to the drawings,

l 1 is a plan view with some parts sec- I tioned and some parts broken away, showing a photographic printing machine with my numbering device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shownin Fig; 1, the lower portionthereof being broken away and some parts being sectioned;

Fig. 3 is a detail in bottom plan showing the numbering device and immediately associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the machine approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Ma 9,1922.

1918. Serial No. 246,117.

Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 1s a transverse verticalsectlon on the line 6-6 of Fig. a, through the light box; i i

Fig. 7 18 a transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line 7-7 of F1g. 6,

some parts being removed and some parts in the form of a metal plate 12 formed with I a rectangular opening to receive a glass plate 13. This glass plate 13 affords a support for the negative and is preferably seated in the opening of the base plate 12 on the free ends of a plurality of leaf springs 14 that are anchored to the undersurface of said base plate. Here it may be stated that these springs 14 will yield to permit slight movements of the plate 1.3 under pressure, so as to thereby compensate for differences in thickness, for example, as between glass and film negatives.

So far as this invention is concerned, the mask may be of any suitable construction, but as shown, it is made up ofa rectangular portion 15 and two strips 16. The mask strips 16 extend at right anglesto each other, co-operate to reduce the size of the light opening through the rectangular mask 15 and are secured at their outer ends to holders 17 which, in turn, are mounted to slide on guide rods 18 supported from the base plate 12 by a post 19. 7

To press the sensitized paper against the negative and the negative against the glass I which, a will presently pivotally connected, preferably by cone pointed screws 23 to laterally spaced lugs oi a supplemental base plate 24': secured to the main base plate 12.

The supplemental platen 21. is pivoted on. a pin 25 that projects laterally from a vertical arm 26 that is rigid. with the rise from the supplemental base plate 24. For an important purpose which will presently appear, the axis of pivot 25 is offset -from and above the axis of the pivot 23. A rockeracting lever 27 is intermediately pivoted to the fixed. arm 26 and one end thereof is con nected by a link 28 to a central lug on the top of the main platen 20. The other arm of the rocker 27 is pivotally connected to a sleeve-like head 29 that has threaded engagement with and is adjustable on the up per end of an operating rod 30. This operating rod, at its lower end, is pivoted to one end of a foot treadle 31, suitably pivoted. to or mounted on a fulcrum rod 32 supported by the lower portion of the table 10.

By reference particularly to Fig. 3,. it will be noted that the supplemental platen 21. at its pivot end, has raised portion 21". This arm portion 21 is adapted to be en gaged by a tappet preferably in the form of a rollenequipped stud 33 applied to one arm 22 of the main platen 20 and projects laterally, as best shown in Fig. 1.

A coiled spring 34 is anchored at one end and at its other end is attached to the supplemental platen 9 1. As shown, one end of the said spring 2% is anchored to an eye 35 on the base plate 12. and at its other end. is attached to an eye 36 on said supplemental platen 21.

The socalled numbering device, or device for printing identifying characters on the backs of the prints. is preferably made up of a plurality of wheels 37 rotatively mounled on a fixed spindle 38 that is rigidly secured. to and projects from :1 lug 39 on one of the corners of the main platen 20. Preferably. instead of applying the ty iie permanently on the peripheries of these type wheels 37, the type are applied to or formed on small end less rubber bands 37 that run over the said wheels and under a platen lug l0 that prtr iects laterally from the lug 39. in position to cause the type positioned below said lug 40 to produce the print on the back of the sensitized paper. The sensitized. paper in Fig. 8 is indicated by the numeral ll. l? course, the negative will be placed directly upon the mask and the sensitised paper, face downward, will be placed on the negative. this being the printing operation. well under stood.

At its extended or free end, the supplemental platen 21 carries an inking pad 42, be noted, delivers the 111k onto the type positioned. for number-- ing the print paper or photographic print In Fig. l, the numeral BB-44 indicates a combined negative clamp and paper guide, the construction of which need not, for the purposes of this case, be considered. The lamps 11 within the light box 9 are con nected in a circuit including leads to and at? that extend from a suitable source of current supply. The lead 45 includes spaced contacts 16 that are insulated. from each other, as shown, being attached. to insulating blocks l'? secured on the supplemental base plate 24:.

For cooperation with the spring contacts 4-6, the operating rod 30 is provided. with a. sleeve 18 of ii'isulating material. and around this insulating sleeve is provided with a cit-- cuit closing contact 49 in the form of a metal sleeve having a split head and clamping bolts 50, by means of which latter said sleeve 49 may be clamped on the insulating sleeve l8 in the proper adjustment for an action which will presently be described.

Operation.

Normally. the two-part platen 20 9.1. will be in the raised position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The spring 34 normally extends on a line above the axis of the pivot oi the supplemental platen 21, and hence. not only forces the supplemental platen upward, but throws the ink pad l2 against the aligned type, and as the type are carried with the main platen. the said spring, at this time, yieldingly holds both platens in the raised position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In. this normal position of the parts. the operating rod 30 is held in a raised position and the circuit closing sleeve 19 will then be above the free ends of the contacts 46, and the latter will then be engaged with the insulating sleeve 48. thus opening the lamp circuit while the piston is raised.

hen the paper has been properly positioned on the negative. the operator steps on the treadle 31, lowers the rod 30. and positively forces the main platen 2O downward until it comes into contact with the paper and aresses the same against the negative. However, it is highly important to note that the initial downward movement of the main platen 20 thus produced, carries with it the supplemental platen 21, and, as the spring 34 will be almost immediately moved to a line below the axis of pivot 25, said spring will throw the supplemental platen 21 down into engagement with the paper almost instantly and in advance of the completion of the paper engaging movement of the main platen. The supplemental platen therefore engages one edge portion of the paper in advance and the main platen follows up and completes the pressing of the paper against the'negative. This insures smooth pressing of the paper against the ne ative and obviates any tendency of rapid movements of the platen to blow the paper out of: position, andmoreover, permits the operators hand to remain engaged with the paper until the paper has been thus engaged by the supplenjiental platen.

The printing of the number or identifying characters on the hack of the sensitised paper takes place as the main platen 20 reaches its final downward position against the paper. Also, as the main platen approximately reaches its lowermost position, the circuit closing sleeve 49 will be engaged with contacts L6, and thereby close the lamp circuit. The lamp circuit will remain closed as long the main platen '20 is pressed downward to its extreme position, but initial up ward movement of the said main platen moves the contact sleeve 40 out of engage ment with contact 46 and opens the lamp circuit, so that the light printing operation is timed to correspond. to the time that the main platen is held against the paper;

It is important also to note that wheii the two-part platen 21-22 is in its lowered position, the spring 34. is far below the axis of pivot 25 so that it will then yieldmgly hold the supplemental platen in its lowered or paper pressing positions.

The dead center position of the spring 3%, that is, the position in which it will, theoretically, not tend to move the platens in either direction, would be aligned approximately midway between the pivots 23 and 25, and

when the spring is moved materially in either direction from such so-called dead center position, it will tend to complete the movements of the platen in the one direction or the other and will tend to hold the same in one or the other of the extreme posit-ions.

hen the print has been properly exposed, the operator steps on the treadle Ill. and forces the rod upward, thereby positively raising the main platen, as already indicated, and opening the lamp circuit. lVhen the main platen raised. the supplemental platen 21 does not immediately follow there with, but is held by a spring 242: pressed againstone edge of the print paper to hold. the same down while the main platen making a very considerable part of its upward return movement. As the main platen is raised, the stud 3 engages the arms Zi oi? the supplemental. platen Q1 and positively raises the same therewith through the rest of its upward movement.

hen the platens 20 and 21 move upward, the free end of platen 21 will be projected in respect to the free end or edge of the platen 20, due to the offset points of the pivots 25 and 23, respectively, and hence, when the platen 21 is moved suddenly upwardby a spring Q-l, its ink pad 42 will be thrown suddenly against the aligned number printing type. The two platens 20 and 21 00111 of action. In fact, the sleeve 40 should he so set that the lamps will be cut out of circuit by the initial upward movements oi? the platen and operating rod and will be cut into circuit only by the latter part of the downward movement of the platen and operating rod.

ignated as a closure plate for the light box. It serves also a carrier for the so-called numbering devices.

' This device which prints either numerals or identifying characters, is herein, for con 'venience, designated a numbering device, and to avoid contusion with the term printing machine applied to photographic printing machines, which might result it the said numbering device was desigiiated as a printing device, but, in fact, it does print or mark numerals or characters and: does so, auto matically with a properly timed action in respect to the photographic printing operations. i

YVhat I claim is:

1. In a, photo-printing machine, having The so-called platen is what might be desmeans for supporting a negative and print in position for printing, a pivoted'multisection platen tor pressing said print agalnst said negatived vlded on a line at approximately a right angle to the axis of their pivots, and means arranged to actuate said sections diliterentially.

In a photo-printing machine, having insane for supporting a negative and print in position for printing, a pivoted. multisection platen tor pressing said print against said negative divided on a line at approximately a right angle to the axis of their pivots, oncot said sections having a limited movement in respect to theother, but movab le therewith under further movement, and Y means tor'impelling said relatively movable section against the negative in advance of saidother section.

3. In a photo-printing machine, having meansfor supporting a negative, main and supplemental platens working side by side and mounted to oscillate, as entireties, on independent offset local pivots, said supplemental platen having only a limited oscillatory movement in respect to said main platen, and a spring connected to said supplemental platen and anchored atsuch point that said spring will move from one side to the other of the pivot of said supplemental platen and will operate to move the latter into contact with the print in advance of said main platen.

4:. In a photo-printing machine, having means i'or supporting a negative, main and supplemental platens working side by side and. mounted to oscillate, as entireties, on independent offset local pivots, said supplemental platen having only a limited oscillatory movement in respect to said main platen, a spring connected to said supplemental. platen and anchored at such point that said spring will move from one side to the other of the pivot of said supplemental platen and will operate to move the latter into contact with the print in advance oil? said main platen, and a manually controlled connection to said Ina-in platen for imparting movements thereto, to and from the printing position.

:7. In a photo-printing machine, having means for supporting a negative and print in position for printing, a pivoted multisection. platen divided on a line at approximately a right angle to the axis of their pivots, for swinging movement to raised po sitions and a number printing device applied to one of said platen sections and an anchoring device carried by another of said sections, said device being arranged to be brought together in the raised position of said sections for automatically imprinting characters on the backs of the sensitized paper.

6. In a photo-printing machine, having means for supporting a negative, main and supplemental platens working side by side and mounted to oscillate, as entireties, on independent offset local pivots, said supplemental platen having only a limited oscillatory movement in respect to said main platen. a spring connected to said supplemental platen and anchored at such point that said spring will move from one side to the other of the pivot of said supplemental platen and will operate to move the latter into contact with the print in advance of said main platen, and a number printing device carried by said main platen, and thereby rendered operative to print identifying characters on the backs of the sensitized printing paper, and an anchoring pad carried by said moved said spring.

7. In a photo-printing machine, having means for supporting a negative, main and. supplemental platens working side by sideand mounted to oscillate, as entireties, on independent oilset local pivots, said sup plemental platen having only a limited oscillatory movement in respect to said main platen, and a spring connected to said supplemental platen and anchored at such point that said spring will move from one side to the other of the pivot of said supplemental platen and will operate to move the latter into contact with the print in advance oi said main platen, a number printing device carried by said main platen, and thereby rendered operative to print identifying characters on the backs of the sensitized printing paper, and an ink pad carried by said supplemental platen and movable against said printing device when said platens are oscillated and are both in raised position.

8. In a photoprinting machine, having means for supporting a negative and print in position for printing, a pivoted multisection platen for pressing said print against said negative, said sections being divided on a line at approxiately a right angle to the axis of their pivots, said. pivots being out of alignment.

9. In a photoprinting machine, having means for supporting a negative, of main and supplemental platens working side by side, mounted to oscillate as entireties on independent oil'set local pivots.

10. A photo printing machine having in combination. means for supporting a nega tive, means for holding a print on said negasupplemental platen and.

tive, andv supplemental. means for holding sa1d print on said negative, both of said holding means swinging about ofiset parallel axes and having closely adjacent sides extending normal to said axes.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence oil two witnesses.

GLEN M. DYE.

Witnesses:

BERNICIG G. BAUMANN, CLARE DEMAREST.

against said device by the action of 

